The Great Fox Hunt
by Jody14
Summary: On the fox hunt, Madara shoots a fox. As soon as Pein realizes, that the fox isn't a regular one, he decides to take care of it until it gets better. But taking care of a fox in a fox hunter's house is a dangerous bussines. PeinNaru PeinxNaruto friendship


_**The Great Fox Hunt**_

"There's one!"

Boom.

A gun shot made the air shiver and Pein's horse raised himself on his back legs. Pein calmed him down. He didn't even twich at the sound of Madara's gun. He got used to it.

Something whined in the nearby bushes and leaves rustled when whatever it was collapsed. Pein knew what was coming next.

"Go get it, Pein."

Pein sighed and jumped of his horse. It was always the same. Madara shot the foxes. He had to carry their dead bodies, ever since his age of seven. Nothing has changed.

But this time it was different.

The fox was nowhere to be seen.

Under the bush was a boy. Curled into a ball, gasping for air and clenching his teeth in pain. As soon as his arm moved, while he was trying to drag himself away to safety Pein noticed the deep wound on his side. Also the fact, that there were fox ears sticking from his head, was pretty unusual. Not to metion the tail.

Was the fox in fact a human child?

Pein kneeled down next to him and the boy dragged himself further away. Pein slowly reached to him and the fox growled. He pressed himself against the rock and stared at him with his sky blue eyes. He was to weak to stand up and run for it.

"Don't worry."

Pein laid his hand on top of the boy's head to calm him down. As soon as the fox realized that Pein wouldn't hurt him, he relaxed.

"I won't hurt you, I promise."

The fox silently _purred_, just like a cat when Pein's fingers gently rubbed his ears. His eyes closed in enjoyement and Pain smiled.

"Come on, Pein! I want that fox... today!"

The fox lowered his ears and shivered at unexpected yell.

"It's okay." Pein gently pushed him under the closest bush. "Stay there, don't move and be quiet. I'll come back soon, I promise."

He stood up and walked back to Madara. He was hoping that he was enough of a liar for Madara to believe him.

"Where's the fox?"

"It ran off, Madara."

"What do you mean, I heard it fall, I shot it!"

"It dragged itself back to its hole, you just managed to land a grazing shot. I could see the blood, but the fox isn't there. I've told you before, you have to wear it out first before shooting it. Use a hound or something."

Madara growled.

"Don't be an idiot, Pein. We both know that as soon as the fox has one hole you can be sure it's going to have about ninety-nine more. You have to shoot it when you see it."

Pein shrugged in response. The less foxes Madara shot, the better. He felt sorry for the foxes, he didn't even know how he ended up in this bussines.

"Then I'll have to find another one. I wanted to at least take one down today."

Madara turned his horse to leave. Pein didn't follow.

"You're not going?"

"Tornado's still nervous because of your shooting. I'll go by foot."

"Fine. I'll keep hunting. Don't be out late, okay? I want a double catch tomorrow."

"Okay."

Pein sighed and watched Madara ride off. As soon as he was sure that his boss was gone he walked back to the bush. The fox was still there, wrapping his tail around his body.

"You can come out now. It's okay, I won't hurt you."

The boy opened his bright blue eyes and crawled from underneath the bush. He sat down and his eyes carefully scanned Pein for a while. Pein watched him. They were both sitting on the ground like this for a while, staring at each other. Finaly Pein broke the silence.

"Can you... speak?"

The fox tilted his head to the side.

"You know, talk? Do you have a name?"

The fox blinked. Pein sighed.

"Looks to me like you know what I'm talking about, you understand my words, but you can't speak. Is that it?"

The boy lowered his fox ears and blinked again.

"Okay, okay I get it. Your name isn't our first concern anyway. It's true Madara's shot only managed to graze you, but if I leave you all alone like this you're going to die..."

Pein reached to him and took him in his lap. The fox lifted his ears, lowered them again and swung his tail. He didn't fight back, somehow he felt safe with Pein.

"Come on, Tornado!"

Pein wrapped Tornado's reins on his wrist and stood up.

"We're going home."

The horse snorted and slowly followed him.

* * *

Pein carefully pushed the door of the way. It seemed that Madara wasn't at home yet. They were lucky. He gently put the fox on the floor.

"This is where I live. This is my room, and as long as you stay here it's going to be your home too, okay?"

The fox lifted his ears and tilted his head aside. He didn't seem to suffer, or he put up a really good fight to ignore the pain. Either way Pein didn't want to take a risk.

"Stay here, okay? I'll be back."

He left and the door closed behind him. Little fox hybrid lowered his ears and silently whined in despair. Where did he go? He wouldn't betray him, would he? He carefully crawled to the door and laid his hand on the cold wood. He pushed harder. Nothing. They remained closed. He curled into a ball and burried his face in his fluffy orange tail. Now what?

A few moments later the door opened again. The fox lifted his head in fear.

"There you are..."

Pein was back. This time he had a towel hanging off his shoulder and a bucket of water in his hands. Fox hybrid lifted his ears again. He wasn't afraid of Pein, his aura was filled with trust and the feeling of safety. Pein sat down next to the wall and the fox slowly lowered his ears, leaned his head in Pein's lap and cuddled close to him. Pein grinned.

"You really know how to fawn on someone, don't you?"

He gently laid his hand on top of the fox's head.

"Okay, okay enough with the cuddling. We have to take care of that wound of yours."

Pein carefully unzipped the fox's orange jacket and gently pulled it of his body. The wound on his side was deep, deeper than it seemed at first. The fox tilted his head to the side in confusion. What was the older boy planning to do?

Pein sighed, took the towel and soaked it into the water. He gently pulled the fox in his lap and wrapped his left arm around his body to prevent him from moving around too much while he cleaned the wound. The fox lowered his ears again and whined in pain.

"It's okay, it'll only hurt for a little while, I promise."

Pein kept cleaning the wound. Warm water seemed to have a calming effect on the fox. Pein smiled when the fox lifted his ears again and swept the floor with his tail. Few minutes later Pein put the towel aside.

"Done. Hope you're feeling better too."

Hybrid burried his face in his cloak. At the same time he kept swirling his pointy fluffy ears back and forth. Pein gently moved his hand from the boy's head to his back and the hybrid purred. Pein bandaged his wound and kept cuddling the fox.

The boy flipped in his lap and caught Pein's sleeve between his teeth. He was gently tugging on it, like he wanted to play. Pein chuckled and pushed him off.

"It's late, we should go to sleep."

The boy lowered his ears again and gave him a really offended look. Didn't he _know_ that foxes come alive at _night_?

"Hey, don't look at me that way. You might walk around at night, but that's the time when I sleep. Besides you don't want to get caught on your night walks around the house. It's not really safe, especially for you. You should be safe in this room though."

Pein took off his cloak and hung it over the chair. He laid down in his bed and the fox slowly followed. He jumped on Pein's bed and crawled under the blanket until he reached the older boy.

"Damn, you really like to cuddle, don't you."

The boy leaned his head closer to Pein's. His fluffy ears gently tickled Pein's cheek.

"Okay, fine. But just today... really, I mean it... just today..."

Pein's eyes slowly closed. He pulled the fox closer, hugging him like a little plushie. The fox didn't move for a while. Pein's touch on his skin was keeping him warm. He slowly lifted his head. He didn't want to wake the older boy up. He gently licked his cheek. After a while he finally closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

"_How stupid can he be? Capturing a child of forest spirits just like that... who does he think he is?"_

_The huge fox growled. The other, smaller joined him walking from the shadows trees casted._

"_He didn't really... capture him, Kyuubi-sama. More like... saved him."_

"_Saved him from what?"_

"_Look, Kyuubi-sama... Naruto really is your son and all... but that doesn't make him immortal. The gun is just as dangerous to him as it is for any other fox. It's true Naruto can avoid some injuries because of his abilities to heal, that's the only thing that saved his life. That, and the boy."_

"_I'm pretty sure that only thing that's waiting for Naruto in that house is trouble. Big trouble. If that human child thinks he's helping Naruto by dragging him into the house of fox hunter... well... he has to be crazy."_

"_At least he tried, Kyuubi-sama. That's what counts."_

_The huge fox growled in response and swung his nine tails._

"_If anything happens to the kid, anything... I'll find that boy and tear him apart."_

* * *

Pein's eyes snapped open.

It was only a dream.

He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath to calm down. His heart was still bumping against his chest. He turned his head to the little fox hybrid. He was still asleep, cuddling close to him. He wrapped his tail around their bodies to keep them both warm. His hand was gently clutching Pein's shirt. He was resting his head on his chest and his ears kept swinging back and forth in the rhythm of his breathing.

"So that's what you really are, son of the gods..."

Pein laid his hand on the boy's hand and gently cuddled him.

"I'm really glad I saved your life, Naruto..."

Naruto yawned in his sleep and cuddled closer to the older boy. Whoever Pein was, he was worth of his trust.

* * *

"Pein, get up! We should go! We're late!"

Pein rubbed his eyes. Naruto was still clutching his shirt. Pein stroked the blond's hair. His breathing was calm and his pointy ears were still moving up and down in its rhythm.

"Pein, hurry up! Or do you want me to get up there?"

Pein gently shook the sleeping fox, trying to wake him up.

"Come on, get up please... I have to go."

The fox's ears twitched . Even though he was still half asleep he listened to Pein's voice.

Pein gasped. He could hear footsteps on the stairs coming closer and closer. He panicked and pushed Naruto off the bed.

"Come on, you have to hide... get under the bed and stay there until I tell you!"

Naruto lowered his ears in fear. He crawled under Pein's bed, curled into a ball and covered his eyes with his tail. Didn't Pein like him anymore? Why?

He watched the door open from under the bed. Someone entered the room. Another male.

"What the hell are you doing for so long?"

Naruto shivered. The voice he heard now was cold and cruel, completely different from Pein's warm and gentle voice that was telling him not to be afraid just yesterday. What was going on?

"Just give me five minutes, and I'll be there. I just slept in. I promise I'll be there in a minute or so."

"Well you better."

The other man left the room. Just a moment later Pein kneeled down next to his bed. He reached his arms towards Naruto to lure him out.

Naruto carefully crawled closer to him. Pein gently laid his hand on his head and pulled him in his lap.

"Oh god... I was so afraid... He almost found you, Naruto..."

Pein burried his face in Naruto's soft spiky hair. Naruto rubbed his head against Pein's and lifted his ears again. As his ears gently stroked Pein's cheek Naruto realized that it was wet. Pein was crying. He was gently hugging him and crying in fear. Naruto slowly moved away. He leaned his hands on Pein's shoulders, lifted his head and licked his cheeks to wipe his tears away.

"I love you..."

Pein sobbed and pulled him closer.

"I love you so much, my little kitsune Naruto..."

* * *

Naruto flipped on his side. Pein left a long time ago, and he had to find a way to distract himself from loneliness, so he jumped on the human's bed again and played with his blanket. He thought it was fun, when it wrapped tight around his body when he turned around and it felt really warm. Just like someone's hug.

He burried his face in the pillow.

Still he was a bit bored. He missed Pein.

Could he find him all by himself?

He jumped off the bed and headed towards the door. He leaned his hands on the door again. They opened this time. He peeked through the opening There was just an empty hallway. He slowly passed on all fours and headed down the stairs. All the way he kept his ears down, expressing his sadness. Pein was nowhere do be seen.

He reached the bottom floor. Expensive furniture. It seemed like the reception-room or something. Pein's room was nothing comparing to this. But Naruto didn't like it. It felt cold and empty. No warmth, no gentle hands to greet you in the morning.

His ears twitched. He could hear a key unlock the front door.

"Damn, always making excuses not to hunt foxes..."

Naruto lowered his ears. The voice wasn't his. It belonged to the other male. The cruel voice that made him shiver over and over again. He barely had the time to crawl under the nearest sofa when the door opened. Naruto watched the man walk to the room on the left.

That was his chance.

He crawled from under the sofa and walked up the stairs really silently. He almost reached Pein's room, when Madara turned around. Naruto lowered his ears and bounced through the door that led to Pein's room and crawled under the bed. He decided to stay there until Pein comes back. He twitched his ears. He couldn't hear any footsteps following him.

Meanwhile Madara in the lower floor grinned. He was absolutely sure he saw a flash of the red fox tail disapear in the darkness of the hallway.

* * *

"Wha-?"

"I'm not going to the hunt today. I want you to go to town and bring me some stuff, okay?"

Pein received the list of things he was supposed to buy for Madara. It felt strange, Madara never passed on the hunt if he could.

"But..."

"Look, I still have some things to take care at home, they're gonna get done by themselves. I just want you to buy me what I asked you to. Can you handle it?"

Pein shrugged and nodded. He left the house with his eyes stuck to Madara's list. He didn't think of anything going wrong.

Madara grinned. Pein was still just a kid. Naive.

He shut the door and silently walked up the stairs to Pein's room. Everything seemed quiet. The only place for the fox to hide was under Pein's bed. Madara sat down on it, lifted his feet up and pulled out a lasso made out of the strong rope. All he had to do now was wait patiently for fox to show up.

* * *

Naruto kept silently sweeping the floor with his tail. Fifteen minutes passed since he's seen the man's feet coming closer.

Has he left?

Is it safe enough to check?

He crawled closer to the edge, just enough so he could see the whole room. No one was around. He slowly swirled his ears. Can he leave his hiding place or not?

He decided it was quiet enough. He can.

He peeked from under the bed. He turned his head to the left. Nothing. Before he could turn his head to the right he noticed a pair of hands reaching for him and putting something around his neck. He whined in fear and pulled back as fast as possible, and the rope around his neck pulled tight. He tried to stand his ground, resisting with all fours and pulling back. The more he fought back, the more it hurt. The force on the other side of the rope was dragging him closer and closer to the edge of his hiding place. Closer to the edge he was, the harder he fought back. He couldn't let that man catch him. He was dangerous, completely different from Pein.

The rope pulled him from under the bed. Someone caught the knot tightening around his neck and kept him from running away. He growled and kept pulling away, but not matter how hard he fought, he was forced to stand on the same place. A hand caught his chin, lifted his head and forced him to hold it still.

"Well, well... who would of thought. Fox ears and tail. Ever since I've seen you in the hallway I thought Pein was just hiding a regular fox. I found a fox hybrid. How interesting."

Madara stood up and pulled Naruto on his feet at the same time. He caught his wrists and tied them on his back with the rest of the rope.

"There. You try to fight back and you just might strangle yourself, so be careful of what you do. Now let me check something."

He wrapped his arm tight around Naruto's waist and forced him to stand still. He flipped Naruto's shirt up to reveal the scar on his body. A scar that could only be caused by the gun shot. He laughed.

"Thought as much. You were always mine, you never belonged to him. Ever since the time he said you ran away he was hiding you, am I right? You are the fox I shot that day, aren't you?"

Naruto whined when Madara's hand landed on the back of his neck and led him out of the room.

What happened to Pein's warm welcoming arms? What happened to the pair of gentle sparkling grey eyes?

This eyes were red, and the touch only caused him pain.

Why?

Madara led him to the basement and pushed him in the small barred cell and locked the bars.

"Be a good little fox, and don't cause any trouble. I'll come back for you later. I really want to find out what you really are."

Naruto didn't show any signs of hearing him. He remained laying on the ground, maybe blinked once or twice. He could feel his eyes filling with tears. He cried silently, with no sound. Madara left him on his own. Naruto tried to curl into a ball, but the knot on his neck pulled tighter. Like it or not, he had to lay straight, with his hands tied on his back. He siletly squealed and lowered his ears.

_Where's Pein?_

He wanted him to come back...

His eyes slowly closed.

_Is Pein ever coming back?_

* * *

Pein was getting closer to Madara's mansion. He checked the list again. Yeah, he didn't miss anything, he had everything Madara wanted him to. He lifted his head to stare at the sky for a while. It was turning dark already.

Oh, well... he liked evenings and nights better than mornings and days, since he could spend them with the little fox.

He was surprised, when he entered. Madara was in the hallway, holding Naruto next to him.

"Really nice of you to come back, Pein. Do you mind explaining?"

"Let Naruto go!"

"I've got all the right to keep him, Pein. I caught him that day, and you told me he ran away to keep him for yourself, didn't you? He always belonged to me, not you."

"You don't get it, do you Madara? He never belonged to either of us. He belongs o the forest, because he's..."

Pein made a step towards them.

"Pein, _don't_!"

_Pow!_

Pein whined and collapsed, holding onto his bleeding arm. Madara's shot only grazed him, but he knew Madara missed intentionaly.

"What makes you think... we're in the same position, Pein?"

Pein didn't stand up. He was still panting, a bit because of the shock, a bit because of the pain. He still managed to give Madara a pleading look.

"Let him go, please... he has to... go home."

"Just one more word and the next bullet is going straight through your head. And you..."

Madara turned Naruto around and growled.

"Since when can you talk? How much of what we've been talking have you understood?"

"It's none of your bussines!"

Madara put the gun to the boy's chin.

"The hell it is, I own you after all!"

"Nobody owns him, Madara..."

"Shut up!"

Madara pointed his gun back to Pein and shot. The bullet missed his head for just a few inches and left a hole in the floor.

For a while there was silence. Madara was the first one to speak.

"I'll be back for you, Pein. You can't run really far with that wound, and I'll make sure to find you. In the meantime I'm gonna have a little fun with your fox. I'm wondering about some things about him."

Madara grinned and led Naruto away, back to the basement. Naruto growled.

"What are you going to do to him?"

"It's none of your bussiness, fox. If I were you, I would care about what happens to me right now."

Madara dragged him to the operation table in the middle of the lab he built in the basement. He untied Naruto's wrists and pulled the rope through the metal ring on top of the stone plate. Naruto growed and stood his ground when the rope wrapped tight around his neck pulled him closer to the stone table. He noticed the handcuffs, he wasn't as stupid as Madara thought he was, to let him do whatever he wanted. No matter the effort, Madara was still stronger. The rope pulled him on the cold stone inch by inch, closer to the metal ring. Naruto whined and pulled the rope with his hands, but trying to overpower Madara was simply futile.

"Still resisting, are we? Well, we can fix that."

Madara grinned and flipped Naruto on his back. He pinned his left hand down with his knee and caught his right wrist. He chained his right wrist down, and then he was free to do the same with his left.

"What do you want anyway?"

Naruto clenched his teeth.

"Look, I don't really expect you to understand science, but... let's put it this way. I'm dying to find out what else besides human talk can you if I have to find out by force. "

Madara laughed and pulled the knife out of his pocket. Naruto desperately twisted his wrists to break himself free. Short chains that held him down merely rattled but they didn't give in.

"I told you not to fight back, you brat."

Madara growled and thrusted him in the ribs. Naruto whined in pain, but for a while he could only gasp for air. Madara grinned, lifted his chin and cut off the rope, that was still tied around Naruto's neck. He pulled out a black collar and put it around Naruto's neck.

Naruto growled.

"Oh, great. A collar. A sign of inferiority to a human. What good will that do you? You're only pointing out that you're trying to own me, is that the best you can do?"

Madara laughed.

"You didn't take a really good look, did you?"

He attached two short wires onto the collar, one on each side. He grinned when he saw fear reflecting in the fox's eyes.

"_Electricity_ collar?"

"And has a high voltage."

"That's forbidden by law, and you know it!"

"No one is going to know. If I want to find out all of the things you can do, I'll have to have your cooperation. And since you're not intending to cooperate... well, I'll just have to make you cooperate by force. I'll keep you plugged in, until you stop resisting. You'll have to give up at some point."

"You're crazy, you know that?"

Madara shrugged.

"Everything for a good cause."

Naruto gave him a look filled with hatred.

"You're despicable, you know that?"

"Let's just play games for a while, shall we? I'm just wondering how much can you take after all your brave talk."

Madara turned the switch on. Naruto clenched his teeth, but he managed to keep himself from screaming. He could feel waves of pain traveling down his body, all the way to his toes.

"I'll let you plugged in, 'kay? I still have to deal with Pein."

Naruto swirled his right hand, to break it free. Nothing. Madara had all the power he wanted. He shut his eyes tighter. How much of this can he really take?

The door opened again. This time Madara dragged Pein with him.

"Madara, you'll be damn sorry..."

"No, I won't be."

Madara pushed him in one of the cells and locked the wooden bars behind him.

"What are you going to do with him?"

"I'll just check what powers does he have, Pein. It's nothing that tragic. And then..."

"Then _what_?"

Madara shrugged.

"I'll sell him, what else? Who wouldn't pay a fortune for a talking fox. They'll take care of him, he'll be fine."

"He'll be _miserable_!"

"Not my problem."

Madara turned back to Naruto.

"Let's raise the voltage, okay?"

Naruto shut his eyes tighter and kept clenching and unclenching his fists in pain.

"Stop it, you're _hurting_ him!"

Pein sobbed in his cell.

"I'll give you anything you want. Just name it, and I'll give it to you. Just let him go, I'm begging you, turn the electricity off!"

Electric shock stopped. Naruto bowed his head, opened his eyes and gasped for air. A hand on his cheek forced him to lift his head again and look into Madara's eyes.

"It hurt, didn't it?"

"Go to hell..."

Madara grinned.

"I'll be glad to see you broken..."

He turned the switch again, this time to the higher level. Naruto was screaming in pain, he was desperately trying to break free. But he wasn't begging for mercy.

Pein turned his head away.

It was his fault. Everything was his fault.

The shock turned off again.

"Not that tough anymore, I see." Madara's hand landed on top of Naruto's head and forcefully lifted it. "But you still have that defiant look... We'll have to fix that. Maybe, one more time. Just to make sure you don't forget who's in control here."

Madara turned the switch all the way and Naruto started to writhe with pain. He couldn't even control his body anymore, his hands were shivering, his heart was pounding faster and faster...

"_Stop it_!"

Naruto could hear a voice coming from the distance. The scream sounded so distant and silent... more like a plead than a scream. His eyes slowly closed.

"It's over."

"Naruto! Wake up! _Naruto_!"

Somebody lifted his chin and he felt something like a mechanical helmet on his head.

"Don't waste your breath, Pein. He can barely hear you."

"When I get out, I'll make sure that everyone finds out what kind of things you really do, Madara!"

"That would probably happen, if you managed to get out. And I'll make sure you're not getting out."

Naruto's eyes snapped open. Electromagnetic waves in the helmet caused him to see flashes. Fast white flashes. He tried to shut his eyes, to keep them out of his senses, but they were still there. He sobbed when he felt his eyes hurting. It hurt so bad, and still...

"The ability of shape-shifting... ability of human talk and understanding... well, well. What do you know... healing ability."

Madara grinned.

"This brat is filled with lie energy. He can cure some pretty bad wounds, as long as he's at his full strenght."

His eyes slowly scanned Naruto.

"This last ability saved your life, didn't it, fox? That... and Pein."

Something cracked. Madara turned around. Pein broke out of the cell and managed to stun Madara with a fast, but strong blow.

"Naruto? Can you hear me?"

He carefully took off the helmet that caused Naruto to see the flashes and unlocked the handcuffs. Naruto's eyes remained cold and empty.

"I'll get you out, I promise. Just hang in there."

"I promise, I promise... it's always the same words. Just trust me, Naruto... trust me blindly..."

Pein lifted him in his lap and ran up the stairs. He had to leave. He had to get them as far away from this house as possible. Madara got up and Pein could hear a shot. Just a moment later the bullet slammed into the wall, a few inches above his head.

He slammed the door behind them and passed through the front door. That had to slow Madara down, even if just a little. It could be enough. As long as they reach the forest, they should be fine.

Pein almost reached the first line of trees, when Madara showed up.

He made a blank shot.

Pein whined and writhed with pain. He had to get up... he had to run...

Somehow he managed to get up and kept running. He had to protect Naruto. He _promised_...

At this point he passed out. They both fell and rolled down the hill. Pein could feel the force tearing Naruto away from him. A few moments later, his back slammed against the tree. His eyes slowly opened. Naruto was still lying about five meters away. He wasn't trying to get up and run.

Pein dragged himself to him. He gently laid his hand on top of Naruto's head and pulled him closer with his left.

"I'm sorry... I'm so very sorry..."

He slowly closed his eyes.

* * *

"Stupid, stupid boy... what made him stand up to his boss, knowing that he had no weapon to fight..."

"It only proves how much he cared about Naruto."

Pein's eyes slowly opened again. It was dark already. Naruto was gone. Shadows were gathering everywhere around him. He whined and wrapped his arm around his body, when he felt a wave of unbearable pain pass through his body.

"Don't move around too much... you've lost a lot of blood."

A warm snout touched his hair. Pein opened his eyes again.

Foxes. Foxes were gathering all around him. Small ones, middle sized, big ones... but one was still a lot bigger than the rest. He slowly lashed all nine of its tails. Pein heard the stories of a nine tailed fox. He has never seen one for real. A pair of fox's yellow eyes scanned him, and the fox angrily growled.

"You're suffering, aren't you?"

Pein closed his eyes again.

"You're suffering, just like my son was, when you send electricity through his body. Do you even realize all the damage you've caused? It would be right for you to feel the same pain, and suffer the same fate he had to suffer."

"But... Kyuubi-sama..."

"Silence!"

The fox barked and shut the inferior, that dared to opose him up. His head slowly turned back to Pein.

"But still..."

Nine-tails slowly approached him.

"Still you saved him. You betrayed your superior, stood up to him and risked a fatal wound to save a fox you didn't even know. Why?"

Pein forced himself to open his eyes again and looked deep into the fox's yellow ones. It was the only sign of sincerity he could give him.

"Do you think... I should have a motive, to save him... to save someone I really care for..."

Pein whined and clenched his teeth. Damn it hurt...

"He's dying..."

"I know."

Nine-tails slowly bowed his head closer to him. Pein was way too tired to fight back. If the fox wanted to kill him, fine. He deserved it anyway.

Fox's snout gently touched the deep wound on his left side.

"You humans are really greedy, you know? You take a little something... then you take more each time...You think everything belongs to you, living creatures and enviorment... But I can see now, that there are still good humans in the world. Humans that value other things. Humans like you."

Pein felt so worn out... he was passing out again. Warm snout gently rubbed his cheek.

"I've cured your wound, but you still need rest. Sleep. You'll feel better soon."

"What about... Naruto..."

Pein silently whispered, half asleep. The fox turned around. He was about to leave.

"Naruto is resting. He was badly hurt in a process, and his eyes were damaged. It will take him months to see right again. Don't look for him. You're not allowed to see him anymore."

When the fox turned his head back to Pein, he could see the sparkling drops on his eyelashes. Silent tears of despair. But Pein didn't even realize he was crying. He already in a deep slumber

* * *

Pein was chewing on a blade of grass and staring into the treetops. He was watching the sunlight, falling through the leaves and sending magical sparkles to play on his black cloak.

It's been three years, since he ran away from Madara.

Three long years.

He hasn't seen Naruto ever since.

Maybe it was for the best. Painful, but still for the best.

He leaned on the tree trunk, closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the summer. He was coming here all the time. The forest calmed him down and gave him a shelter from the stress of everyday's life.

The warmth slowly soothed him. It felt so calming...

Someone gently pushed his head under Pein's arm and climbed into his lap. Pein could feel warm tongue gently licking his cheek. Half asleep he wrapped his arms around the little creature and pulled him closer. His visitor leaned his head on Pein's shoulder and Pein felt a pair of soft ears gently stroking his cheek. They were lifting and lowering in the rhythm of his breathing, and the crature kept wagging his tail.

Pein opened his eyes.

While he was asleep, Naruto crawled into his lap. His lost little Naruto. Pein sobbed in relief and pulled the little fox closer.

"It lasted three years... full three years... and now you're finaly back..."

"Yeah..."

"You've grown..."

"I know. So have you."

Pein leaned his head on Naruto's. As long as he could hold him in his arms like he used to, he didn't care what the next day might bring.

"I thought your dad has forbid you to come..."

"Like I care."

Pein laughed and wiped his tears away.

"You're still so stubborn."

For a while they were just sitting there.

"I missed these soft ears of yours...the way you cuddle close to me..."

Naruto grinned.

"I missed your gentle, warm hugs. I think there's no other human that could give hugs like you do."

"Why didn't you tell me you knew how to talk?"

Naruto shrugged.

"Don't know. Probably I wasn't sure of how much can I tell you. It was a mistake. I know now , that I should've trusted you all the way."

Pein smiled and burried his face in Naruto's soft spiky blonde hair.

"I love you, Naruto. I love you, and I'll never let anything like that happen again. I'll always protect you, okay?"

Naruto leaned his head back to Pein's shoulder.

"I know. You didn't have to tell me. I knew that a long long time ago."

He silently yawned.

"Your embrace is still so warm, Pein... will you let me sleep in your lap tonight?"

"Yeah... I'll let you..."

Pein leaned his head back to the tree trunk and closed his eyes. He silently whispered, half asleep.

"I'll let you sleep in my lap tonight..."

**The End**

_**A.N.:**_A really short and pointless Author's note. After I finished _'A pair of Pretty Fox ears' _I always wanted to write something else that had neko/kitsune Naruto involved... well anyway, this came out at the end. Hope you enjoyed _The Great Fox Hunt,_ even though I keep hurting Naruto people all over xD(I really can't help it, it's fun... and I can say 'Aaaaw poor Pein' or 'Aaaaw poor Naruto' without people around me telling me that I'm so over obsessed with them.

_Yours truly, Jody14_


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